Monthly Archives: August 2011
Managing Catalogs and Users in Portfolio Server 10
August 26th, 2011 by Jim Kidwell
Portfolio Server allows you to easily share digital assets across many users. Setting up catalogs that contain those assets, and providing user access to the assets is an easy process. This video show a quick overview of the process.
Want to learn more about Web Fonts & Typography at SXSW?
August 25th, 2011 by Jim Kidwell
We’re heading off to SXSW 2012 next year, and have proposed a number of topics in which we’re happy to share our expertise.
The discussions at SXSW are partially decided through input by potential visitors. So what this means is that you, yes YOU have the opportunity to vote for your favorite presenters (Dare we hope to be in your list?). You don’t even need to be attending SXSW to vote.
All that you need do is:
- Create a SXSW Panel Picker Account here: http://panelpicker.sxsw.com/users/register
- Click on the link in the verification email.
- Visit the following three pages and click the “thumbs up” button. If you’re feeling extra enthusiastic, feel free to leave a comment on the talk topic – that will help us as well.
The Future of Web Typography
http://panelpicker.sxsw.com/ideas/view/13099
Getting it Right: Web Typography Best Practices
http://panelpicker.sxsw.com/ideas/view/9297
Classy or Clowny? How typography impacts a brand
http://panelpicker.sxsw.com/ideas/view/13075
See this post for more info on potential Extensis talks.
What’s New in Universal Type Server 3 Webcast
August 24th, 2011 by Jim Kidwell
There are quite a few new features that were added to the recent release of Universal Type Server 3.
We’ve described the new features on our What’s New page, but understand that sometimes there’s just no replacement for seeing how things work in-person.
While I would love to give each and every one of you a personal demo, that’s just not practical. So, to bridge that gap, we recorded a recent webcast where I go through each of the features in detail.
Click here to view the webcast recording.
Rick Santorum’s Website Using Pirated Font Leads to $2 Million Lawsuit
August 17th, 2011 by Jim Kidwell
I’m willing to bet that this isn’t the kind of PR that Rick Santorum is looking for in his presidential campaign.
On Tuesday, August 16, 2011, the Dutch type foundry Typotheque filed suit against RaiseDigital LLC, a Virginia-based consulting company that develops website and other materials for political campaigns and politicians.
The lawsuit seeks up to $2 Million in damages for the alleged misuse of the Fedra type family. This shines a direct light on the fact that font compliance is a serious issue for anyone working in creative endeavors.
If you design creative work for clients, the risk you take when employing an unlicensed font is distributed to the client as well. I’m willing to bet that Mr. Santorum’s campaign isn’t pleased that their name is being associated with this alleged illegal activity, and your clients won’t either. If you’re looking for a solid reputation and repeat business, it’s important that you take font licensing and font compliance seriously.
Universal Type Server can help you gain control of the fonts used in your workgroup. Through robust tracking and reporting you can ensure that you’ve purchased enough licenses for your workgroup, and keep unlicensed fonts from entering your workflow.
Final Cut Server Replacement
August 15th, 2011 by Edward Smith
UPDATE: Learn how video production agency 50 Kaliber Films easily made the switch from Final Cut Server in this webcast recording: Images, Videos, PDFs and More: Multimedia Agency Finds Numerous Uses for DAM
With the introduction of Final Cut Pro X, Apple has discontinued its Final Cut Server media asset management software . If you’re now looking for a Final Cut Server alternative, we suggest taking a look at our digital asset management software – Portfolio Server.
In Portfolio Server 10, you can instantly playback video and audio in both our Web Client and native Mac and Windows Desktop Clients. We’ve enhanced our metadata support with the ability to embed XMP metadata to video files, and added the ability to transcode video in our NetMediaMAX solution pack. If you need to migrate assets from an existing Final Cut Server, just point Portfolio Server to an existing FCSvr device for automatic cataloging and synchronization of media files.
Want to see for yourself if Portfolio Server is a good Final Cut Server alternative? You can learn more about Portfolio Server or download a free 30 day trial.
If you’re a Final Cut Server user, we’d love to hear from you in the comments section. What do you plan do to with your Final Cut Server implementation? If you are looking for a replacement, what features and capabilities are important to you in a media asset management system?
Best Practices for Folder Hierarchies
August 12th, 2011 by Edward Smith
Our users tell us that they love Portfolio Server because it doesn’t make them change the way they work. They get up and running very quickly without making drastic changes to their workflow, and the AutoSync “hot folder” feature is a big part of this.
AutoSync can watch a folder (as well as its subfolders) for changes and automatically catalog files that are added, updated, or removed from the folder. Keywords are also automatically applied based on the filenames and folders in the structure. Just point AutoSync to the folder containing the files you want to catalog, and in short time you’ve got a searchable digital asset management system containing all your files.
While you can point AutoSync to any folder as-is, a more powerful approach is to develop a basic plan for your folder hierarchy. In the latest DAM Street Smarts article on the DAM Learning Center, we talk about the importance of folder structures and provide best practices on getting the most out of your folder heirachy with a digital masset management system like Portfolio Server:
If you’d like to learn more about folder hierarchies, or share tips of your own, head over to the DAM Learning Center:
Folder Hierarchy Best Practices for Digital Asset Management
Meet an Extensis Expert – Russell Cheung
August 8th, 2011 by Edward Smith
Meet Russell Cheung, one of the UK’s resident Extensis experts.
Russell is the UK’s Senior System Engineer and has been with Extensis for 11 years. Part of his role is to visit Extensis users and provide Professional Services ranging from optimising and configuring their UTS or Portfolio Server set-up and workflow, to training administrators and end users on the finer points of DAM and font management.
In order to give more of an insight into Professional Services and what it entails, Russell has answered a few questions for us…
What is the largest number of assets you have ever encountered?
8 million images ( and counting ) for Portfolio Server and about 80,000 fonts for UTS.
What’s a typical day like when carrying out Professional Services?
- Arrive on site slightly early so I have time to check for any urgent emails whilst waiting at reception
- Spend up to 30 mins with IT person and head of creative to go over objectives and process for the day
- Check server hardware and OS environment to ensure that it meets pre-requisites
- Install UTS or Portfolio Server software and any required third party add ons
- Test the connection between client and server
- Train the IT administrator on UTS / Portfolio Server administration interface and functionality. This is a chance for them to discuss detailed and specific aspects like security and performance tweaking.
- Grab some lunch and get a chance to explore the surroundings if I’m working in somewhere like a museum or gallery.
- Train the end users on what they need to know to use the software to full capabilities. Try and ensure that I leave their site with something that’s fully working, that they can easily build on, and that their users will have the confidence to work with.
What’s the strangest thing you’ve ever come across?
Hundreds of digital images of dead and diseased wild animals and farm animals all needing to be catalogued. Some poor technician had to place the corpses on the flatbed scanner.
What’s the most difficult problem you’ve ever had to resolve?
Getting through the traffic on the way home is always the hardest part!
In what kind of companies have you implemented Extensis software?
Museums, scientific bodies, charitable bodies, retail, financial bodies, and government agencies.
Why should someone invest in Extensis Professional Services?
We have extensive experience in cross platform ( Mac + Windows ) environments which really helps if an organisation has a strong Windows based IT dept but little experience with Macs, or has a lot of Macs deployed across the company but have little experience of dealing with server based applications. We also have hands on experience with desktop applications like Adobe Photoshop and InDesign so we can provide training from the perspective of the desktop users as well.
About Professional Services
Extensis’ Professional Services packages are designed to complement both our font and DAM server products and are delivered by an Extensis Certified Systems Expert. They maximise return on software investment by combining Extensis’ expertise with technology, processes, and people into an complete solution within a few days.
More information about Extensis Profesional Services
Webcast Recording: What’s New in Portfolio Server 10
August 5th, 2011 by Edward Smith
We have posted a recording of the What’s New in Portfolio Server webcast where you can see the new new video, iPad and Active Directory features in Portfolio Server 10.
If you’re new to Portfolio Server or digital asset management software, the beginning of the video also contains a brief intro on why you might need a DAM system and how Portfolio Server solves file management problems and improves efficiency.
Watch the “What’s New in Portfolio Server 10″ webcast recording
Read more about Portfolio Server 10′s new features
Extensis is Bringing Font Freedom to St. Louis
August 4th, 2011 by Edward Smith
UPDATED: We need to postpone these events until September 28th, 2011. Stay tuned for further details.
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We’re serving up fonts over lunch and stirring-up a creative web-fonts cocktail! Join us for lunch to learn the latest best practices to manage fonts for your team or on the web, and later enjoy free cocktails and appetizers while you learn how make the most out of custom typography for your websites. The event is co-hosted by AIGA St. Louis, Computer Solutions, and Extensis.
Font Management Lunch & Learn
iPad® Drawing
Wednesday, August 24th
St. Louis
Centene Center for Arts and Education
Noon – 2:00 PM
In this FREE seminar you’ll learn how server-based font management let’s you to stay creative, compliant and in-sync whether in the office, working remotely, or offline. An attendee will be chosen randomly from the evaluation forms to receive an iPad– must be present to win.
Hosted Web Font Mixer
Wednesday, August 24th
St. Louis
Atomic Cowboy
6:00 – 8:00 PM
Come enjoy some free cocktails and appetizers with us and learn how make the most out of custom typography for your websites. We’ll show you the latest technologies to give you unlimited creative freedom with web fonts.
Full Event Details and Registration – Save Your Place Today!
We hope you can join us.
